Still raining.  Stopped once, overnight; the silence woke me up.  The locals are enjoying the reprieve from the relentless sun. 

Headed off in the rain to find the Nature Conservancy’s Ramsey Canyon Preserve.  It turns out, talking to a nervous forestry guy later, that we were very close.  Despite terrible pamphlet directions, no local signage (as opposed to the local B&B), and no GPS co-ordinates, we got within one deep arroyo crossing before we turned around. (the arroyos are running, what with all the rain…)  It was a great drive up into the canyon; the White Oak still have leaves.  Also on the plus side, the clouds were breaking up to the south, and there was some sunshine in the rain.

Next up was San Pedro House, where the volunteer association centred the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.  Half of the known breeding birds in the U.S. have been spotted here.  The house is an old ranch house, now with a wide selection of local guide books and souvenirs.  As you might expect, desert riparian forests are both rare and valuable. Four eco-regions overlap here - the southern edge of the Rockies, the northern edge of the Sierra Madre, the eastern edge of the Sonoran Desert, and the western edge of the Chihuahuan Desert.  Fremont Cottonwoods and Goodding Willow habitat provide shady, moist habitat in the middle of the desert.  13,000 years ago, Clovis Point Cultures were hunting Mammoths here.  The Apaches repelled nearly 400 years of European invasion of the area, until rich mineral deposits brought the US Calvary to “pacify” the area.

Nancy and Kirk headed off to hike a 2+ mile hiking trail loop along the river.  With the aid of a complementary walking stick, a mid-way bench, and a bench down by the river, I made the .2 mile trail to the river and back in about the same time as Nancy and Kirk.

Check the lower left side of the trunk base

Cane cholla

San Pedro River

New birds today included: Ground Doves, Pyrrhuloxia, Black Throated Sparrow, Gila Woodpecker, House Finch, and White Winged Dove.  Something has been eating the Prickley Pear Cactus around the campgrounds, the smell of which makes Kirkly very, very cautious, especially in the dark.  We think Javelinas

Rain, rain, rain.  Solid, big drop continuous rain.  With fog.  We had to move sites this morning, but we’re now spudded in for three days.  Filled the fresh water and dumped grey and black tanks while we were switching, and put the feet down and levelled for the first time in the trip.  Spent the morning cleaning and re-organizing the Bigfoot after 6 days on the road.  It hardly seems possible that we left just a week ago.

Our neighbour in the tent trailer, packing to leave.

Nancy picked up a few new birds for her life list today, Cactus Wrens and Brown Towhees.  It’s funny how an area comes into focus as you start to investigate.  South east Arizona has a State Park, National Forest, National Wildlife Refuge and National Conservation Areas to investigate.  Surprisingly, it also has wine touring, Kim.

Stopped at Fairbanks, ghost town, for Nancy and Kirk to check out a trail in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.  The residents of Fairbanks were apparently burned out by a large cattle ranch.

Went into Sierra Vista, AZ to see if I could find a cell phone booster, was looking for a Wison Streek 4.  Walmart. Best Buy and Radio Shack all used to carry them, but no longer do.  Hmm, will have to investigate why that is.  No booster, so back to the cell-less campground.  Still raining.  Did I mention it’s still raining?  Good thing I’m not bitter.

And into Arizona

They were predicting 4 - 6 inches of snow in NM tomorrow, so we beetled west for warmer climes.  Arizona is certainly different than New Mexico, at least along the I-10.  Different rock formations and much more vegetation diversity.  Barrel and Prickly Pear cactus, many types of agave, and a general wealth of vegetation we are trying to assimilate.  

You can tell we're close to the Mexican border.  Border patrol trucks towing trailers with quads go by on the highway, helicopters patrol along, and there's a permanent station along the I-10 where they stop and inspect every truck, and stop and chat with every car and RV.  

We're staying in Kartchner State Park, south of Benson, AZ, until Monday morning.  This is Arizona's youngest state park, with the cavern's true extent only being discovered in 1974.  Campground facilities are wonderful, and the interpretive centre and butterfly garden are very well done, and in immaculate condition.  The down side is no cell service, this post will be prettified once I have better net access.

We achieved another trip milestone today, succesfully dropping the Accord and touring about in it.  Tomorrow, depending upon the forecasted rain (the trouble with Florida is the rain, they said, you should go to the desert where it's always sunny, they said...) we're headed south-east to the San Pedro river valley, rumoured to have 400 species of birds in the winter.  If so, Nancy will have a bird-gasm.

Across the Rio Grande - but not into Mexico

Morning was clear, mild, and windless. Kirk was ready to go; he was born ready.

The country was flat and dry, down past Alamogordo, the only agriculture was pistachio trees

White sands missile base really does have white sands.  Holloman airforce base has F-22s and Luftwaffe Tornados, but I didn't see anything in the air 8-(  We crossed the Rio Grande at Las Cruces.  It runs north - south at this point, still north of Mexico.  Absolutely no water in it, more of an arroyo than a river.

Pulled into a RV park for the day in Deming, NM.  We asked if there was a truck wash in town, and the owner said you can wash it right on your site.  Nancy decided we needed a nozzle for the hose, and made a couple of mile round trip hike to the local Walmart.  Then she decided to wash the Accord, which badly needed it after the trip.

Then she decided she would touch up the Bigfoot, which was also filthy.

Then she decided in for a penny, in for a pound and washed the Bigfoot!  She will sleep well tonight.  

Sorry for the blurred focus, but I wanted to illustrate what happens when you take potato chips packed  and sealed at 725 feet up to 5,000 feet.

296 Km. today

Valley of Fires

T'was a lovely dawn in Tucumcari, 6 C and calm.  We left the freeway at Santa Rosa and headed up and across a plateau.

Between Vaughan and Corona, Nancy spotted prong horned antelope and our first road runner, the official bird of New Mexico.  We descended the plateau at Carrizozo and headed over to Valley of Fires Recreation Area It's a 125 square mile lava flow, the youngest in north America.

We got a campsite on a sandstone island, overlooking the surrounding lava flow.  Kirk and Nancy went hiking and took a few shots.

The lava flow is good habitat, with wider species diversity than the surrounding lands.  Several animal species have evolved darker phases to better utilize this area.  Fort Stanton is just up the highway, built specifically to subdue the Mescalero Apache who were "resistant to intrusions".
On a sobering note, about 30 miles west of here is the Trinity Site.  Just dark now, and it's still glowing to the west..... 299 Km. today

Tucumcari (Tehachapi to Tonapah) New Mexico

Got an early start, on the road before 7 am, trying to get a jump on the rock n roll winds forecast again.  Started in Kansas, across the Oklahoma panhandle, through the top of Texas, and into New Mexico.  We climbed in elevation all day (Tucumcari is 4085 feet), and things got drier and the vegetation sparser as we went along.  Nancy spotted the first Yucca plant in the ditch before we left Kansas, and the first cacti (Beavertail and Cholla) soon after.  West of Dalhart Texas, there were two feedlots with somewhere around 100,000 cattle each, arranged on semi-circular slopes draining down to a lake of sewage in the centre.  It was horrific, makes Brooks, Alta. look like a church camp.  Seriously, it was almost enough to make one turn Vegan.
We actually paid for a campsite tonight, hooked up to electrical, and filled the fresh water tank with a bleach mixture to de-winterize and sanitize.  We'll drop it tomorrow and half re-fill the fresh water for use on the road.  Nice to have a flushing toilet again.  I couldn't figure out why everything but the kitchen sink facet worked fine, and put in a quick call to Stylings RV (home of fine RV repair/maintenance).  They said to pull the tap screen, probably has scale in in.  Yep.  10 Second fix.  Thanks, Chris.
We found disturbing amounts of snow along the way.  Our campground host said that Tucumcari had two 10" dumps of snow in the last three weeks, unusual in that they seldom get more than an inch.  None left here now; it was 22 here today, but we are pressing west in search of more heat.  Now plotting tomorrows travels, still not decided.  545Km. today.

Blowing into Kansas, and our little dog, too.

We had rain overnight in Columbus, thankfully, because it knocked the top 1/2 inch of crud off of the Accord, leaving only 1/4 inch in place.  Then the wind came up around 9 pm.  Weather said 25 - 35 mph, gusting to 45 mph for the next 24 hours.  The Bigfoot rocked in the wind, but it was a good sleep, oddly comforting, kinda like sleeping in the boat. We dawdled around Sunday morning, hoping it would die off.  Heated water on the stove and took turns having a standing bath in the shower; what luxury!  We filled up with gas and hit the road.  The wind was pretty much north/northwest so the 350 km. drive south, on smooth, divided 4 lane highway, with the engine barely idling, was a cakewalk.  We refueled at Hutchinson, and headed southwest across the 40 mph. northwest wind  The divided 4 lane highway became a narrow two lane, with steep ditches.  Out in the open, we heeled like a sailing ship, and with wind to no-wind exposure, the Bigfoot required a firm and persistent hand to keep her in our lane.  We checked the weather which predicted no letup til dark, so we called it a day at Pratt, KS.  Yep, Walmart.
Saw our first opposum roadkill at Osceola, KS, much further north than I figured they'd be.  Also saw small flocks of meadowlarks soon after; what a treat to see them in January.  Distinct greenery in some fields and low wet areas.  504 Km. today, discretion being the better part of valour.

Across the Missouri

Well, another successful day of wandering.  The day dawned bright and clear, with the highway frosted, but not slippery; on the road at 7:30.  It clouded over as the day progressed as we scooted south with a large front threatening from the west.

We left the freeway (29) at Watertown, SD and followed Highway 81 south.  This old highway goes through the towns along the way, giving you a lot better feel for the country you are passing through, and the folks you are passing by.  The downside was itwas primarily worn cement, with the dreaded rocking horse thump, thump,thump.  

Stopped for a pair of coffees in Lake Poinsett, at the local coffee hangout, which was across from an ice covered lake, complete with 1/2 tons and ice fishing shacks.  A woman behind the counter had just moved there from LA.  Her father summered here, and wintered in the Phoenix area (which is where the conversation initiated) which came highly recommended.  Twice through the conversation, she looked out the window at the ice fishermen, and marvelled that she just could never get used to seeing people driving on water.

Saw our first hawk, a Redtail, sitting in a treetop, surveying his domain.  Hints of green are appearing here and there.  We crossed the Missouri at Yankton, SD.  While we were stopped there for a train, a guy in a new blue Subaru Outback rolled down his window and started a conversation.  Used to live in Carmen, and had lots of friend in Winnipeg.  Wanted to know what kind of mileage we got with the Bigfoot with towd, as he was thinking about getting one.  The train went by, we said our goodbyes and rolled on.  But only across the river, where we stopped for lunch at a lovely closed info centre, perched high on the bluff with good views.  Lunch, a nap, Nancy and Kirk went exploring, and we had the place all to ourselves.  I’ve assigned Nancy as official blog photographer, we’ll see how she produces.  I promise to get more pictures and maps in here, once I figure out how.  

We’d like to fill/bleach our fresh water tank, and get our onboard water functional, but no local campgrounds are running till April.  Ended up Walmarting it in Columbus, NE.  A good 30% of the Walmart crowd was Mexican.  A good match with the mid-west when you think about it.  Hard working folks, with family and religion high on the list of priorities.  541 Km. today.   All new country, and a day well spent.

Geese in January

We got a relatively late start, leaving the yard and our very depressed cats at 8:30 am, Kirk victoriously accompanying us.  Luckily, the late start gave the snow and frost time to melt, leaving the roads sloppy, but wet.  The cloudy day cleared to bright sun with a brisk WNW wind.  We were boarded at Customs, but only for a friendly and cursory inspection.  

When we were hooking up the Accord last night, we discovered we only had a single key.  Since it is necessary to tow with a key in the ignition in the Accessories position to prevent the steering from locking, this was problematic.  At best, it meant we could not lock the car while towing, and at worst, it could mean the car could be accidentally locked with the only key in the ignition.  We stopped at Honda/Nissan of Grand Forks, who cut us another (expensive) key.  The road slop resulted in the poor Accord going from shiny blue to lumpy grey.  We had a few exciting moments navigating the Bigfoot/Accord combo through their tight lot. (Zero backing up with the car attached, zero).  Next on the list was a mighty grocery shop, filling the Bigfoot with everything we couldn’t get across the border.  

We don’t have much snow at home this year, but it petered out completely south of Grand Forks.  Just north of Fargo, with the sun below the horizon, amazingly to me, there were thousands of geese, all flying at about 150 feet AGL.  I thought geese wanted open water before they would winter, but clearly these guys were not going any further than they had to.

We’re at Dakota Magic Casino for the night; free parking, but Nancy’s in the casino…..

So, 525 Km today, Accord is towing well, and we’re all stocked up.

On the verge

The Bigfoot is home from storage and loaded with everything that won't freeze overnight.  The Accord is hooked up.  Lyric Motion Run3Rx is loaded in the back seat of the Accord, and the R/C Radian and mini-Radian gliders are in the trunk.  Kirk is very nervous.  Tomorrow morning is departure.  After all the running around with Nancy's recent retirement, my recent health test trip delays, and just plain planning the trip and loading the Bigfoot, it will be good to get on the road.

Blogs which inspire

Quite a while ago, I stumbled across a blog called Ms Tioga and George.  George survived cancer, then bought a class C RV (Ms. Tioga), installed solar panels, a large battery bank, a data uplink, and became a full time adventurer.  He travelled the US and then Mexico over the next decade, faithfully blogging his exploits, occasional dent and all.  Due to health issues, he's parked now, but to me George always proved that curiosity and the right attitude was all you really needed to wander successfully.  Thanks George, for sharing your travels.

More recently, I read Travel with Kevin and Ruth. After their children had fledged, they sold the house, bought an inexpensive class A RV and wandered off.  Both handy and very frugal, Kevin gravitates to warm and economical locals like Mexico, where he and Ruth have travelled extensively.   They prefer rural locations, and hike and photograph frequently.  Now world travellers, they have been recently summering running municipal parks in Saskatchewan. They seldom miss a day posting, and reading of their adventures has been a daily pleasure.

with Gerry and Brenda

Lately I have found Turtle on Down the Road.  Despite their disabilities, Brenda and Gerry forged into Mexico with their class C. They travel and sight-see on good days, and hang out when it's not. Since I've been permanently disabled for nearly a decade, their travels are proof to me that adventure is necessary and possible.

In the Beginning...

So here we are.

The intent of this blog is to share our wanderings with family and friends.  I mean wanderings in the most ideal sense of "wu wei", or "going with the flow".  Wu Wei is a much more elaborate concept: Wu wei , but "go with the flow" will do.  Travelling well means not worrying about the destination, but enjoying the process.

Wandering has been a long term interest, no doubt inherited from my father (Let's sell the house, Lorna, and move to New Zealand).  In our youth, we tented.  Nancy's first vehicle was a VW Westphalia, with which on our limited budget, we explored western Canada.  During the family years, we borrowed Dad's small tent trailer.

We progressed to our first fibreglass trailer, a 14 foot Triple E Surfside.  It provided us with the wonderfulness of a dry bed, furnace, and propane fridge.  We took it on major excursions, including BC (British Columbia), and south to California, as well as a great wander south along the Mississippi.

This led to our Bigfoot 19 foot 5th wheel, which was an ideal combination of portability and comfort.  As we were able to spend more time on the road, we further explored BC, Washington, and Oregon, and made our first foray into snowbirding, ending up in the Everglades, Florida.  And it was good.

As my neuro-muscular disability progressed, I needed more space and creature comforts, resulting in our present RV, a 2001 Bigfoot 29 RQ with a Honda Accord towd.